Home Health Aide Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a correct way to write a blood pressure reading?

1. 75/120

2. 120 over 75

3. 120/85

4. 120/75

The correct answer is: 120/75

A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers, typically representing systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure, the first number, indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, while the diastolic pressure, the second number, reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. The format for writing blood pressure readings typically follows the convention of placing the systolic value before the diastolic value, separated by a slash. In this case, the reading of 120/75 represents a systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 75 mmHg, which is the correct and standard way to present such information in medical records or assessments. The other provided examples do not conform to this standard presentation. While "120 over 75" verbally conveys the same numbers, it is not written in the numeric format that is commonly used in clinical practice. The reading "75/120" incorrectly places the diastolic pressure first, which is not aligned with accepted medical conventions. Lastly, "120/85" represents a different diastolic value, which does not match the specified reading of 120 systolic and 75 diastolic, thus making it incorrect as